The present invention relates to a method of controlling the timing in medical equipment, in particular, a method for using a cardiac pacer to control the timing of an intraaortic balloon pump.
When a patient undergoes surgery, it is a common practice in surgery to use an electrocautery device for cutting through the skin and for cauterizing the skin about the opening to prevent or to minimize bleeding. Other electrosurgery devices are also in common use. When such a device is used, electrical interference with the ECG is caused. The electrosurgery device generates voltages in the hundreds and thousands of volts at radio frequencies and at other frequencies as well, often including the same frequency components as the ECG. Thus, electronic filters alone cannot separate out these interfering signals.
A number of devices in the medical laboratory rely upon the electrocardiogram (ECG) to control their timing. Therefore, difficulties arise when electrical interference causes the loss of the electrocardiogram signal. A particular case in point is the heart patient who has an intraaortic balloon pump to assist in the pumping action of his heart. The intraaortic balloon pump generally uses the R wave of the electrocardiogram signal to synchronize the timing of the intraaortic balloon pump. Thus, a patient relying upon an intraaortic balloon pump has often been placed at risk when an electrosurgery device obscures the ECG. The timing of the intraaortic balloon pump can then no longer rely on the R wave in the ECG.
It is an object of the present invention to coordinate the timing of an intraaortic balloon pump with the pumping of a patient's heart without relying upon the electrocardiogram.